Kuwait may use army to suppress anti-regime demonstrations: Report

Thousands of Kuwaitis protest against the detention of former opposition MP Mussallam al-Barrak near the central prison in the Sulaibiya district of Kuwait City on October 31, 2012.

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Kuwait may use army troops to clamp down on an upcoming pro-democracy demonstration in the oil-rich Persian Gulf kingdom against the ruling Al Sabah regime.
"The interior ministry will use all means necessary to prevent illegal processions," Arabic-language Al-Anbaa newspaper quoted a security source as saying on condition of anonymity on Saturday.
"The army and national guard may be called in if needed to deal with any breach of public order," the source added.
On October 31, Kuwaiti security forces clashed with thousands of protestors demanding the release of former lawmaker and opposition leader Musallam al-Barrak, who is facing charges of insulting Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad Al Sabah.
More than 30 demonstrators were injured as police broke up the opposition rally.
Following the clashes, which took place in front of a prison in Kuwait City, the opposition convened in an emergency meeting and condemned the Kuwaiti government's "barbaric suppression" of peaceful protests.
The opposition warned that Kuwait is becoming a police state, and called for a march on Sunday.
On October 21, at least 100 protesters were injured at a huge demonstration organized by the opposition to protest against an electoral law, which the opposition had called a constitutional coup by the government.
The opposition called for the demonstration after the government announced it was holding elections on December 1 and would change the electoral law "to preserve national unity".
Activists say the decision to change the electoral law by the emir is aimed at electing a rubber-stamp parliament.
Kuwait was the first Arab state in the Persian Gulf to establish an elected parliament in 1962. However, the Al Sabah family remained in control of most key posts, including the premiership and the ministries of defense, interior, and foreign affairs
MP/AZ